Lamp remover



Feb. 1, 1966 w. w. CLAPP 3,232,658

LAMP REMOVER Filed April 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WILLIAM W.CLAPP ATTORNEYS Feb. 1, 1966 w. w. CLAPP 3,232,658

LAMP REMOVER Filed April 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIH | I 30 I lINVENTOR WILLIAM W. CLAPP BY Jazz/2mm. WM,JMWZM ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent 3,232,658 LAMP REP/EGVER William W. Clapp, 1745 Bellaire Drive,Casper, Wyo- Filed Apr. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 356,481 4 Claims. (6!. 294-20)This invention provides a device for engaging and removing the variousparts of an overhead lamp assembly, which may include a downwardlyreflecting shade, a wire mesh guard, a globe within the guard, and alamp bulb Within the globe. By the use of a device provided by thisinvention any one or all of these parts of an overhead lamp may beengaged by a simple adjustment of parts of the device and may beseparately removed and replaced.

The invention is described in the following specification and isillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lamp changer tool provided by theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the lamp changer in position toremove a lamp guard and shade;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the lamp changer showing parts thereof inposition to remove a lamp globe;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the lamp changer showing parts thereof inposition to remove a lamp bulb;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the two parts of the lamp changerwhich is moved into position to engage a lamp bulb;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the part of the lamp changer whichreceives and holds the device shown in FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the parts of the lamp holder whichengage a wire guard.

The device or tool which I have provided comprises a part for engagingthe elements of the lamp assembly, this part being indicated at A in thedrawings and being mounted on the end of an elongated handle B by whichthe lamp engaging the part A may be raised into engagement with theoverhead lamp assembly.

The part A of the device is generally hemi-spherical in shape having acircular upper part 2 formed preferably of strip metal to which areattached at equal intervals four metal strips 4, 6, 8, 19 which dependfrom the circular member 2. The strip 2 is permanently attached to oneof the depending strips, this being strip 18, and is slidably attachedto the other depending strips 4, 6, 8 by straps 11. These dependingstrips are curved arcuately inwardly at their lower ends for attachmentto the handle B. As shown at 12 in FIG. 1, the ends of the circularstrip 2 which forms the open upper end of the tool are overlapped andare movable with respect to each other to permit the transverse size ofthe tool to be varied in order to accommodate it to lamp assemblies ofdifferent sizes. An extension spring 14 is mounted between lugs 16, 18on the adjacent overlapping ends of member 2 and constantly urges theends of the strip toward each other to a condition of minimum size ofthe tool. The overlapped ends of the strip may be pulled apart againstthe force of spring 14 and will be held in such adjusted position byfriction. The depth of the tool is such that it will be accommodated tooverhead lamp assemblies of the type and having the parts describedabove.

Means are provided by the invention for engaging the wire mesh of a lampguard such as that shown at 20 in FIG. 2. Such means comprise twoupstanding lugs 22, 24 which are attached to the diametrically oppositedepending strips 4, 8 and are positioned on such strips adjacent theirjuncture with the handle B. Each of these upstanding lugs is providedwith an upwardly opening L- shaped aperture 26 and the two aperturesface oppositely to each other so that the diametrically opposite wiresCir at the lower part of a guard may be received within the aperturesafter which the tool may be turned to engage the wires of the guardwithin the apertures, after which a further turning of the tool willunlatch the wire guard and permit it to be removed. As shown in FIG. 2,the usual downwardly reflecting lamp shade is attached in most cases tothe wire guard and will be removed with it.

After removal of the wire guard the globe 30 which surrounds the lightbulb must be removed and the tool provided by the invention includesmeans for effecting this. Such means comprise two straps 32, 34 whichare attached by their ends to diametrically opposite parts of thecircular upper strip 2 on the outer surface thereof. Each of thesestraps has downwardly converting side walls and an outer wall which isspaced from and generally parallel to the circular member 2, and thesewalls define an opening of rectangular cross section. A filler member 36is positioned within the opening defined by each strap and is heldtherein by a pin 38. The thickness of each filler member is such that aninner opening 40 is left between the circular member 2 and the innersurface of each filler and a second or outer opening 42 is left betweeneach filler and the outer wall of each strap. Associated with the tooland the forming part thereof are two flap members, each of whichcomprises a central plate part 5%} having hinged to one end a flat,wedge shaped member 52 which may be selectively received in either ofthe openings 40, 42 which are respectively outside and inside the fillermember 36 which is positioned within each of the straps. At its outerend the plate 50 has hinged thereto a strip member 54 to which there isattached an arcuate member 56. It will be seen that if the wedge shapedmembers are positioned within the openings 42 between the outer surfaceof earth filler member 36 and the outer wall of the strap and thearcuate members 56 are permitted to lie within the tool, as shown inFIG. 1, the arcuate member will be spaced apart by a maximum distancewhich will permit the two opposite arcuate members 56 to engage theglobe which surrounds the light bulb. If now the two Wedge-shaped platemembers 52 are removed from the outer recesses 42 and positioned withinthe inner recesses 46, as shown in FIG. 4, the arcuate members 56 willbe a minimum distance apart and will therefore engage the lamp bulb. Ineach of the two positions of the arcuate members 56 the tool may beturned in order to unscrew either the globe or the lamp bulb, and inorder to facilitate this the inner surface of each of the arcuatemembers 56 is coated with rubber or some other frictional material.

It is believed that the construction and operation of the tool providedby the invention will be apparent from the foregoing description andthat no further description of operation is required.

While I have described and illustrated one embodiment of the invention,it will be apparent to those skilled in the arts to which it relatesthat other embodiments, as well as modifications of that disclosed, maybe made and practiced without departing in any way from the spirit orscope of the invention, for the limits of which reference must be madeto the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for effecting the removal of an overhead lamp assembly whichincludes a shade, wire mesh guard, a globe and a lamp bulb, comprising acircular strip of metal, spaced strips of metal depending from thecircular strip and converging to form a framework which is closed at thebottom by the lower ends of the depending strips, a handle connected tothe lower end of the framework by which the framework may be raised toan elevated lamp assembly, spaced upstanding lugs positioned within theframework and having openings therein for engaging the wire mesh of alamp guard to remove the same, said circular member having mounted atdiametrically spaced parts thereof two members defining inner and outeropenings, and means which may be selectively positioned in either ofsaid openings and which are movable to inner and outer positions withinthe framework for selectively engaging a globe and a lamp bulb.

2. A tool for eltecting the removal of an overhead lamp assemblyincluding a wire mesh guard, a globe and a lamp bulb, comprising aframework of generally hemispherical shape having sutficient diameterand depth to fit over and receive the outer member of the assembly,means within the framework for engaging some of the wires forming thewire mesh guard to permit the tool to be operated to remove the guard,and means for separately engaging both the globe and the lamp bulb toremove them in sequence, said last named means comprising two dependingmembers constructed to engage either the globe or the lamp bulb, andmeans for selectively first supporting each depending member in aposition outside the framework while the tool is engaging the wire meshand thereafter supporting each depending member in either of tworadially spaced positions within the framework in one of which interiorpositions the depending members engaged opposite sides of the globe andin the other of which they engage opposite sides of the lamp bulb.

3. A tool for effecting the removal of an overhead lamp assemblyincluding a wire mesh guard, a globe and a lamp bulb, comprising aframework of generally hemispherical shape having sufiicient diameterand depth to fit over and receive the outer member of the assembly, lugsattached to the interior of the lower part of the framework andextending upwardly therefrom and spaced diametrically thereof and eachhaving an upwardly facing opening in the upper edge thereof which isconstructed and adapted to receive wires forming the mesh of the guardto permit the tool to be operated to remove the guard, and means forseparately engaging both the globe and the lamp bulb to remove them insequence, said last named means comprising two depending memhersconstructed to engage either the globe or the lamp bulb, and means forselectively first supporting each depending member in a position outsidethe framework while the tool is engaging the wire mesh and thereaftersupporting each depending member in either of two radially'spacedpositions within the framework in one of which interior positions thedepending members engaged opposite sides of the globe and in the otherof which they engage opposite sides of the lamp bulb.

4. A tool for effecting the removal of an overhead lamp assembly whichincludes a wire mesh guard, a globe and a lamp bulb, comprising acircular member having overlapping un-connected end parts, a springconstantly urging the end parts of the circular member toward each otherwhile permitting enlargement thereof, spaced strips extending downwardlyfrom the circular member and converging to form a framework which isclosed at the bottom by the lower ends of the depending strips, a strapadjacent the upper end of each downwardly extending strip through whichthe circular member slidably extends, a handle connected to the lowerend of the framework by which the framework may be raised to an elevatedlamp assembly, means within the framework for engaging the wire mesh ofa lamp guard to remove the same, said circular member having mounted atdiametrically spaced parts thereof two members defining inner and outeropenings, and means which may be selectively positioned in either ofsaid openings and which are movable to inner and outer positions withinthe framework for selectively engaging a globe and a lamp bulb.

References Qiied by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,032,689 3/ 1936Demyttenaere 2942O GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner;

1. A TOOL FOR EFFECTING THE REMOVAL OF AN OVERHEAD LAMP ASSEMBLY WHICHINCLUDES A SHADE, WIRE MESH GUARD, A GLOBE AND A LAMP BULB, COMPRISING ACIRCULAR STRIP OF METAL, SPACED STRIPS OF METAL DEPENDING FROM THECIRCULAR STRIP AND CONVERGING TO FORM A FRAMEWORK WHICH IS CLOSED AT THEBOTTOM BY THE LOWER ENDS OF THE DEPENDING STRIPS, A HANDLE CONNECTED TOTHE LOWER END OF THE FRAMEWORK BY WHICH THE FRAMEWORK MAY BE RAISED TOAN ELEVATED LAMP ASSEMBLY, SPACED UPSTANDING LUGS POSITIONED WITHIN THEFRAMEWORK AND HAVING OPENINGS THEREIN FOR ENGAGING THE WIRE MESH OF ALAMP GUARD TO REMOVE THE SAME, SAID CIRCULAR MEMBER HAVING MOUNTED ATDIAMETRICALLY SPACED